


every time we open up our eyes

by plutokenma



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cute Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, DaiSuga Week, Firefighter Sawamura Daichi, Fluff and Angst, Hospitals, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Parent Sawamura Daichi, Teacher Sugawara Koushi, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26593462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plutokenma/pseuds/plutokenma
Summary: The sun and the moon;Two unexpected hearts tied together by the universe, both dependent on one another to light up worlds amidst the darkness.Daisuga AU where Suga is an elementary teacher and Daichi is a firefighter.(thank you maia and anna for this idea go follow them on twitter @nishiinaka and @annakinsun)
Relationships: Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 7
Kudos: 88





	every time we open up our eyes

**Author's Note:**

> "with golden string, our universe was clothed in light"  
> \- sleeping at last

Akesho Elementary School, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The school resided near the mountains, providing serene days. Often the school children would race to the pond behind the building during recess to view the radiant tangerine-colored koi fish, their eyes youthful and excited. Teachers were understanding and brought out the strengths of each individual child, motivating their heart’s desires. All was peaceful at AES, nothing obstructed their daily schedules of kinesthetic learning. 

Sunlight poured into the classroom, the school children’s smiles beaming even brighter as their tender-hearted teacher instructed a lesson on astronomy. The male at the front of the classroom was the definition of ethereal: silver hair that flowed over his pale skin and shined like snow on a warm winter day, gentle eyes that melted into golden rays, a kiss from an angel laying softly under his left eye, and delicate hands that only spoke kind words. Sugawara Koushi had been teaching 2nd grade at AES for a short time but was the only teacher that left students feeling like they were “the protagonists of the world”. His lectures were exciting and enriched with learning. 

Today he was explaining the different moon phases using an earth, sun, and moon mobile he built over April vacation. Switching the lights off, and playing space-themed instrumentals over the speakers, Suga began explaining how the moon changed over the course of a month. 

“All moon phases begin at the New Moon. This phase represents the dark side of the moon, where the sun’s rays cannot save the moon!” 

Laughter escaped the children’s mouths as he explained the playful analogy. 

Turning the mobile so the sun and moon were at a new position, Suga flickered his flashlight on and shined it at the moon, creating the next phase, “Now, can anyone tell me what just happened?” 

Enlivened hands shot up in the air, all bubbling with excitement to answer their teacher’s question. Suga’s eyes lit up with pride as he saw how every single student was aching to answer. Closing his eyes and waving his off-hand around, Suga chose a random spot in the room. Upon opening them he saw his hand was pointed at Hiroto Sawamura, one of his brightest students, though, often, was too timid to speak. With a comforting voice, Suga asked the raven-haired boy, “Sawamura-chan, would you like to tell the class what happened to the moon?” 

Hiroto’s eyes lingered down and he softly shook his head. Suga was not willing to give up on him, as he knew the boy had an answer for him, so he asked, “How about you whisper it in my ear?”

Gleaming eyes glanced back up at the teacher, and with a slight pause to think, the shy boy nodded. Placing his flashlight down, Suga walked amblely to his student’s desk and squatted down to his level. Tender hands pushed the hair from Suga’s ear and a gentle voice whispered the answer. Delight filled Suga’s heart; he was so proud of his student’s perseverance. Bouncing up to the front of the room Suga sang out, “Hiroto-chan you are correct!” 

Turning the flashlight back on, Suga began to demonstrate what Hiroto had told him, “The sun has put a smile on the moon’s face! When the sun and moon shift positions, the earth is no longer blocking the sun’s rays, so the moon enters a new phase! This is called a Waning Crescent.” 

The bright smiles returned to the children’s faces and cheerful giggles filled the classroom. Suga was delighted his students were so encapsulated by the lesson, but his attention went to Hiroto who was glancing around the room. A soft smile followed by a nod was sent the boy’s way, reassuring him that Suga was proud of his efforts. Hiroto smiled back, aware of the pride his teacher had in him. 

Moon phase after moon phase, the students absorbed every analogy Suga created, adding it to their index of creative and academic abilities. Their universe of childhood wonder held an extraordinary presence as it swirled around the room from student to student. Lessons were always like this, but today Suga felt a new sense of magic in his classroom. 

“Finally, the last moon phase is where the moon is smiling yet again! This one is called-”

Lights began flashing around the room as a cacophonous alarm blared through the speakers, “May I have your attention. A fire has been located in the building. Please find your nearest exit.” 

Distressed cries erupted from the children, enveloping Suga in a state of panic. There was no fire drill planned for today, so either someone mistakenly pulled the alarm or it was real. The latter frightened Suga; he never wanted to be in a situation where his students were in real danger. Though, as the teacher, he knew it was his responsibility to be a calming guide, rather than heighten the intensity of the kids’ fears. Raising his hand in the air, he signaled for them to quiet down so he could direct them safely out. Once he had their attention he instructed them to line up and stay with him. As he neared the front of the line Suga began to calmly speak, despite the loud noises around them, “Do you all remember what I told you about scary situations?”

The class nodded their heads, watery eyes looking up to the teacher for a sense of comfort, “No scary creature can reach you as long as you stay with the teacher!” 

Smiles spread across each child’s face and Suga felt a wave of reassurance spread over him. Clipboard in hand, he grabbed the hand of the line leader and led the class down the stairs towards the exit. As Suga held the door open he took a headcount of his class, ensuring each student had safely made it out of the building. The number of students he counted matched up to the number of kids in attendance today, so the class could proceed on. When the last kid exited, Suga caught up with the front of the line and walked to the other classes that were at the parking lot. While taking their spot far away from the building, Suga pulled out his attendance sheet to start a role call. He clapped a rhythm to get the class’s attention and they then clapped back, “Okay class 2, when I call your name please shout out a nice and loud ‘Here!’. After we’re done with attendance we can play a silent game of 7 up!” 

Clicking his pen, Suga began to call out the students’ names, “Akagi Yui?” 

A bright voice eagerly replied, “Here!” 

Suga checked off the box for her name and continued down the list, calling out each student’s name. So far, every student had been present and yelled out to their teacher, “Sawamura Hiroto?”

No response. 

“Sawamura-chan? Are you here?” 

No response. 

Suga’s stomach dropped. How could he have lost a child along the way outside? He had seen Hiroto as they were leaving the classroom, so where was he now? As the other students began to mumble and look around for him, reality crashed onto Suga as he began to realize the severity of the situation. He had not looked at the school building all while calling for attendance, but soon enough his eyes were lit up by the flames enveloping the building. Without hesitation, Suga dropped his clipboard to prepare to run back into the building to look for Hiroto. Another teacher saw what was happening with Suga and quietly pulled him aside, “Sugawara-san it’s best to just let the firefighters search for him, it’s not safe to go back in.” 

“I know Takahashi-san, but I can’t just leave a kid in there. Please watch over my class, I’ll only be a few minutes.”

“No. It’s not safe there. You stand no chance against the fire. Just let the firefighters handle it.” Suga knew she would be against his proposal, but there was no way he wasn’t going to at least try to find Hiroto.

“I’m sorry, I’m going back in.” Despite the disapproving yells from other teachers including Takahashi, Suga ran towards the building. 

The dedicated teacher knew the risks of going back inside. He knew once he opened that door, he may never open it again. But that didn’t hold him back. Suga would do anything for his students, even if it was at the cost of his own life. 

Pushing open the exit door they came out of, Suga felt a sudden heatwave rush over him. The flames had not quite made it to this side of the building, but he knew there was limited time before he would be trapped by the fire. The crackling sound of the distant fire echoed throughout the desolate hallways, creating an environment full of fear. All of the doorways had been shut, and without the proper keys, Suga knew he wouldn’t be able to check each classroom for Hiroto. A loud crash came from behind him: part of the ceiling collapsed. Dread pumped through Suga’s blood, his timeframe to find the kid was becoming shorter and shorter by the minute. Lights flickered in the hallway as he neared the bathrooms, hoping Hiroto was in there, “Hiroto-chan! Are you in here?” 

Suga checked each stall, hoping the child was hiding in one. As he pressed open the last door, disappointment flooded his thoughts. Hiroto wasn’t there. Suga turned around towards the sink and banged his hand onto the counter out of frustration. How could he have let himself do this? One of his students he loved so dearly was missing and in danger. Meeting his own reflection in the mirror, Suga hadn’t realized the tears that were trickling down his cheeks. His once soulful eyes were now red, completely absorbed by anger and fear. Another crash came from outside the bathroom, snapping Suga back into reality. 

* * *

Back outside, fire engines began to pour into the parking lot, their sirens wailing with hope. Suga’s class was now amongst Takahashi’s, all of them unable to keep still in worry of their teacher. Trying to keep each other calm, the students began to play a silent game Suga taught them to help when they felt scared: the students would form a circle holding hands, and one student would squeeze another’s hand and pass it around the circle, all while thinking of the squeeze being a glowing light to guide them safely. Though, before they could start round two, a firefighter approached the group of students. The yellow stripes juxtaposed on his black suit reminded the class of the bright sun’s rays shining onto the moon, while his deep amber eyes reflected the new moon. Removing his helmet, the firefighter turned to the students, “Good afternoon everyone! My name is Sawamura, I’m one of the firefighters here to help you all today.” 

A similar thought rushed through each student’s head: was this man related to Hiroto? Many of them looked at each other, reassuring they were all thinking the same thing.

“I’m glad to see all of you made it out here safely thanks to your awesome teachers and your guys’ cooperation. I just have a few questions to ask your teacher and then my buddies and I will do our best to scare off the flame monster.” 

Though this confusion was forgotten as the children bubbled with laughter at Daichi’s comparison. Waving a short goodbye, he headed towards Takahashi. Nearing Takahashi, he saw an unsettling look cross her face, “Sensei, have there been any issues while trying to exit everyone out of the building that my team needs to know of?” 

She spoke shakily, “Yes. One of our teachers went back inside just a few minutes ago to look for a student. He hasn’t returned.” 

Despite experiencing this across almost every fire he dealt with, Daichi was scared. Not only because of the thought of school children being trapped inside a burning building was terrifying, but because his son was amongst this group of students. Trying not to assume the worst, Daichi nodded and assured the teacher he and his team would do everything they could to return Suga back safely. As his team geared up to enter the building, a thunderous crash came from inside the building, forcing the teams of firefighters to begin rushing in. 

* * *

Sugawara Koushi never faltered under pressure. An admirable trait that allowed him to persevere in life, especially teaching. Though in this situation where he became trapped in his own classroom, Suga’s character broke down. After knocking on every classroom door, ending at his own, Hiroto was nowhere to be found. He looked in every closet and alcove, but his student was lost. And so was he.

Outside his door was a wall of flames that Suga knew he couldn’t fight alone. His only option was to jump from the two-story windows or hope someone would find him. Jumping from a window seemed most reliable, but the parking lot laid in front of his classroom and the thought of his children seeing him fall from a window was disheartening. Suga was left with the decision to stay put and wait for someone to guide him back out to his kids. 

As more crashes were heard outside the door, Suga knew the clock was ticking and the flames were unstoppable. Crashing against the wall behind him, Suga slid down with his head resting on his hands. Tears threatened to pour out again. Not only was he unable to find Hiroto, but he was now trapped inside a maze of flames that menacingly inched closer and closer. All of a sudden Suga heard the exit door bang open underneath him, firefighters pouring into the building. He jumped to his feet and dashed to the door, slamming his palms against it and yelling out, “Please! Somebody help me!” 

Suga pounded on the door over and over again until his arms grew weak, crying for someone to rescue him. But no one came. Sobs echoed throughout the empty classroom, tugging at the last bit of hope he had left. Suga was driven away from the door as it turned a blistering heat and collapsed into the classroom. Navigating through the school to find Hiroto and the carbon dioxide flooding into the room weakened his body. His lungs were running on limited oxygen as a wave of dizziness overtook his head. Suga’s legs eventually gave out from under him, forcing him to lay on the ground. With closed eyes, he prayed someone would find him in time. 

* * *

Daichi’s team kicked down classroom doors along the downstairs, looking for survivors. To their disbelief, every single room was empty, meaning the child and teacher had made their way outside, or worse, they were trapped upstairs. Communicating through his radio, Daichi told the captain they were advancing upstairs, as they found no survivors downstairs. His captain responded that no one had been seen exiting the building and to continue searching. Anxiety built up in Daichi, hoping his son wasn’t the missing student. Removing someone from the upper levels would prove to be a much more difficult task since the firetrucks couldn’t get close enough to situate ladders for escaping. 

Although inspecting the upstairs would take an extended time, the team was reduced to 4 people to limit how many people were inside the building. All of the upstairs lights had been blown out from the fire, presenting a treacherous path for the firefighters to cross. Daichi hurriedly led the group upstairs and divided them to search different sections of the hallway. With his helmet flashlight turned on, Daichi trudged from classroom to classroom, looking underneath and behind furniture in case someone was hiding. Each classroom was set up similarly, but with the fire’s destruction, it was impossible to tell what the dynamic would be. Beams tore across rooms, desks were splayed out and some classrooms were completely caved in. Bathrooms, closets, and alcoves were all empty. Not a soul in sight. Daichi was beginning to lose hope that he would find the teacher and student amidst the chaos. Though, he knew he had to treat this situation as if his own kid was the one missing. Unknowingly, that was the scenario he was in. 

Arriving at the final classroom to his section, Daichi inhaled deeply, wanting nothing more than to find the teacher and child. There was no forced entry needed as the door had crumbled under the flames, though, this wasn’t a good sign. Flames had engulfed most of the classroom, blinding Daichi’s point of view. He began to check around the perimeter, ducking and crawling over collapsed walls. This classroom posed the most difficulties, with beams splaying everywhere and ceiling tiles raining down at every moment. Daichi pushed and pulled debris to clear a path for both finding survivors and a quick route of escape. Suddenly, a weak cough sounded from the opposite side of the room. With all of the strength he could muster, Daichi quickly navigated through the maze that was this classroom. He yelled out to the survivor, hoping they were still conscious, “I’m almost there, just please hold on for me!” 

Separating two beams, Daichi found himself at the windows of the classroom. The flashlight flickered around the room, hoping it could find someone. He passed by the teacher’s desk, where photographs of a male teacher and his students were framed. Assuming the survivor in this room was the teacher, Daichi grabbed one of the photos and placed it in his pocket. Another cough sounded, this time even closer, signaling Daichi was near the survivor and that the survivor was alive. He rapidly looked around, inspecting the wall in front of him and the desks nearby, until he landed on the body of the survivor. 

* * *

Suga’s pale skin was now splotched with and pieces of his clothing were torn from trying to travel the pathways. Amongst the dark classroom, Suga’s eyes gleamed up at the looming figure, pleading for security. The firefighter’s beacon of hope was right there, staring back at him: they were both going to be okay. Though right as Daichi kneeled down to assist the teacher, a beam collapsed onto Suga’s leg, fracturing it. Having no strength to yell out, tears violently poured from his eyes. 

Panic hit Daichi like a brick wall. He was trained as an EMT, but trying to remove someone from this situation without hurting them would be nearly impossible, “This might hurt, but I promise you we’re going to get out of here. I’m not going to leave you, but please promise me you won’t leave me.” Daichi reassured the teacher.

A weak voice spoke out, “I promise.” 

Carefully, making sure not to move Suga around too much, Daichi lifted the beam with one hand and wrapped his other arm around his waist to pull him out. The warm touch of the firefighter’s hand sent sparks throughout Suga’s body, that not even the fire could create. Daichi enveloped the gentle teacher in his arms and for the first time in hours, Suga finally found a home amongst the chaos. 

“Sensei, I’m going to get you out of here, but I need you to hold on as tight as you can to me.” 

No response. 

“Sensei?” 

Suga had gone unconscious, golden eyes closing and warm breaths short and staggered. Without any hesitation, Daichi removed his mask that protected him from the carbon dioxide and placed it onto Suga’s smaller figure. As a firefighter it has always been Daichi’s duty to protect the survivors first, then himself, he knew that. But with this teacher, lying so vulnerably in his arms and entrusting his entire life into Daichi’s hands, Daichi felt a responsibility to protect Suga beyond the flames. 

* * *

The adrenaline to save Suga drove Daichi to the exit and out into the parking lot. Sunlight returned to his life, surrounding him with relief and triumph: he had kept his promise. Numerous heads turned his way as students began rushing over to the pair. With Suga still unconscious, Daichi needed to get to the ambulances right away, “I know you’re all eager to see your teacher, but the doctors need to help him, okay?” 

They all nodded their heads and cleared a path for Daichi to hurry to an ambulance. Once he met with the paramedics, he explained what happened while they were inside and an approximate time the survivor was inside the building. He was hesitant to hand Suga off to them as he wanted nothing more than to stay by his side, but his team needed instruction and Suga needed urgent care. Gently placing Suga down, Daichi whispered, “Be strong for me. You still have a promise to keep.” 

He ached to head to the hospital with Suga, but Daichi still had a job to do before he could visit. Heading back to his team, they relayed the message that no other survivors were in the building. Daichi’s heart dropped into his stomach. He knew there was a student missing still and if they didn’t find him soon enough, all hope would be lost. However, he held onto that beacon of hope as he made his way to Takahashi. 

“Sensei, as you saw we found the missing teacher, but unfortunately we have yet to locate the missing student,” Daichi said dreadfully, not wanting to deliver that news to her.

Takahashi flashed a tearful smile at him, bowing to acknowledge her appreciation, “Thank you so much, we were all incredibly worried for Sugawara-sensei.” 

She paused before continuing, “Though, it looks like you won’t have to go back into the building to find the student.” 

Confused, Daichi asked her why this wouldn’t be necessary. Takahashi turned around and motioned for a student to stand by her. A raven-haired boy came forward. Hiroto Sawamura was safe. “Dad!” 

Inexplicable joy rushed through Daichi as the small boy ran towards his dad, arms enwrapping each other in a sentimental hug. The firefighter pressed a heartfelt kiss to the top of his son’s head, not knowing what he would have done if Hiroto hadn’t been found. With Hiroto resting on his hip, Daichi questioned his son, “Where were you, buddy?” 

Hiroto nervously replied, “When Sugawara-sensei was walking us to the exit, I dropped Moon-san and went back to get him, but when I tried to get back to Sugawara-sensei, another class was there so I just went with them because I didn’t know where my class went.” 

A bittersweet feeling overcame Daichi. He felt for his son. He was only a small boy confused amongst the adrenaline of emergencies, “Sunshine, I’m not mad at you, in fact, I’m proud of you for going with another teacher. I’m just really glad both you and Moon-san are safe.” 

Hiroto’s face beamed with a toothy grin as he hugged his dad again. The terrifying feeling of being so alone amidst chaos had finally subsided, and everyone could finally rest. 

* * *

After Daichi returned to the fire station with his team and Hiroto, he still had one task left to do: visit Suga. The picture frame weighed heavy in his pocket, reminding Daichi of the teacher’s lasting gentle presence that guided him back to his son. As he removed his gear he tried to think of ways to thank Suga for the sacrifice he made, but his mind kept wandering back to those aureate eyes that lit up the ruinous classroom. 

Small feet pounded against the pavement, as Hiroto ran to ask his dad, “Can we go visit Sugawara-sensei now? Pretty please,” Drawing out the “e”. 

Not only could Daichi not say no to his son, but Daichi also wanted to see the lovely teacher again. With a nod of approval, Hiroto excitedly yelled out and waited anxiously for his dad to lead them to the car. 

* * *

Upon arriving at JR Sendai Hospital, Daichi and Hiroto entered the lobby, asking where Suga’s room was. Assuring the receptionist they came from the school to visit Suga, she printed out visitor’s stickers for them and gave general directions to the wing he was in. Hiroto could not contain his excitement as the pair walked through the hallways, jumping up and down, exclaiming everything he was going to say when he saw Suga again. 

When the father and son reached the correct wing, they were guided by a nurse to Suga’s room, where multiple doctors were in to finalize the check-up for the next few hours. Daichi and Hiroto patiently waited outside the room, but when all of the doctors exited, Daichi lightly knocked on the doorframe, “Hello?” 

Suga’s eyes beamed with joy as he saw the same face that protected him from the fire. He looked the firefighter up and down: Daichi had a lean figure from being a firefighter, raven-hair that reminded Suga of his student, and delicate charcoal eyes that laid a blanket of comfort onto whoever looked in them. Now seeing him in a lit-up room, Suga felt warmth rush to his cheeks. Undeniably this man was attractive, but most importantly, Suga found safety in him, something he never found in anyone else. 

Removing the oxygen mask slightly from his face, Suga replied delightfully, “You can come in!” 

What Suga wasn’t expecting though, was a child to follow Daichi’s entrance. Tears pricked at his eyes, the missing student he risked everything for was here in this room with him, alive and well. As he ran towards the teacher’s bed, Hiroto expressed with glee, “Sugawara-sensei!”, wrapping his timid arms around the delicate teacher and showing him the picture frame that Daichi saved from the fire. Daichi looked down on the pair, feeling love enter his heart. Seeing the exchange between the two comforted Daichi; no one besides himself had ever brought out the warmth in his child. 

When the two separated, Suga’s eyes met Daichi’s, intrigued, “I don’t mean to intrude, but how do you know Hiroto?” 

A soft laugh escaped Daichi’s mouth, “I’m his father, Sawamura Daichi.”

Everything fell into place in Suga’s mind, with the similarities in both looks and personality. “It’s an honor to meet you Daichi-san. Your boy is one of my brightest students”, Suga said, flashing a smile at Hiroto who was giggling to himself. 

“It’s an honor to meet _you._ After all, you risked everything for my boy, and I don’t know how to thank you enough.” 

Taking Daichi’s hands into his own, Suga looked at him with soft eyes and reassured the firefighter, “You kept your promise, that’s enough for me.” 

A rosy tint spread across Daichi’s face, forgetting they had promised each other to make it out alive and well. He nodded his head, “A promise is a promise, I’m just glad this one wasn’t broken.”

No words had to be spoken between the two for them to understand how much that single promise meant. A promise that held the weight of their worlds. Where they would do anything in their power to uphold it and never let it go. They hadn’t known it at the time, but they were two halves of a whole; one would be incomplete without the other. A pair that depended on each other for security. The universe had created these two on an astronomical plane where darkness existed to make the light truly count. A bond separated by space and time’s inescapable maze. But after years of darkness, the sun made its way back to the moon, and the universe filled with stars once again. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! this is all thanks to maia and anna giving me this idea to write, so please support them too! if you wish to see more of my content and updates, feel free to follow me on twitter @kirbykenma :-)


End file.
